Rapper Nicki Minaj announced last week that she was hired to perform at the Unitel Christmas Festival in Angola on Saturday. Unitel is a company owned by Angola’s director, Jose Eduardo dos Santos and the Human Rights Foundation is asking Minaj to cancel the show.
Minaj posted the show’s poster on Instagram. She then posted it again on Wednesday. “ANGOLA! R u ready for the show?!???! Can't wait to see u guys! Get your tickets here!” she wrote.
Dos Santos has ruled Angola since 1979 and has been accused of human rights violations over the past three decades. His family owns several major companies in the country, including the communications company that organized the event Minaj is headlining.
The Human Rights Foundation sent a letter to Minaj, asking her to cancel the show.
“Nicki Minaj is a global artist. Millions of people look up to her for creative inspiration,” HRF President Thor Halvorssen said in a statement. “There is no good reason for her to do business with the corrupt Angolan dictatorship and endorse the ruler’s family company.”
Minaj is hardly the first performer to be criticized for performing for a controversial leader. In 2013, Human Rights Watch blasted Jennifer Lopez for performing for the Turkmenistan president’s birthday. Mariah Carey and Beyonce later apologized for performing for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s family. And in 2011, Hilary Swank apologized for attending a birthday event for the leader of Chechnya.
Minaj has yet to comment on the situation on her social media accounts.